First Date
by NightsDawne
Summary: Irvine finally gets his dream date. Will his friends help or can he blow it on his own?


First Date 

First Date  
by NightsDawne 

Ever wondered how actually slick Irvine Kinneas could be once he got a girl to say yes? And not just any girl, but the girl of his dreams, no less. All of his friends pitch in to help him out, but he's on his own for his night of destiny.

* * *

Irvine Kinneas leaned back on the bench in the student quad of Balamb Garden and pretended to be busy reading a book on botany. That was apparently one of the things Quistis Trepe liked, judging from the fact that she made a daily voyage to the quad's garden to admire the various rose bushes. What passersby could not tell was that in actuality, the handsome young gunslinger was not intensely studying the pruning schedule for cherry trees, but was in fact glued on one of his favorite naughty magazines tucked in the pages. One of the girls looked so much like Quistis it was driving him crazy.

Irvine's cowboy hat was suddenly plucked off his head from behind and an exhuberant "Irvy!" announced the presence of his best friend, Selphie Tilmitt. Selphie plunked the hat on her own head and hopped onto the bench to sit next to him. "What're you reading?" She leaned over and peeked before he could get the book closed. "Oh, Irvy, one of those magazines?"

"I just read the articles, honest, Sefie. Don't you got somethin' to do? Like update your Sir Laguna website?" Irvine reached for his hat, but agile Selphie dodged back to keep it from him.

"I already did this morning. You mean you haven't looked at my webpage yet?"

"Sefie, it's not even noon yet. I don't read it every ten minutes. Now give me back my hat." Irvine reached again, and again, Selphie easily evaded him.

"You should. On your way to checking the BBS. There's always a new posting about you on there, you should keep up with them."

"Really?! Any ones from cute girls?" Irvine forgot about his hat for the moment, long-lashed violet eyes lighting up at the prospect of finding out which girls were the likeliest to say yes to a night with the famous Irvy.

"You're impossible. A few. Most of them are from Zell, though."

Irvine sighed. Zell Dincht, Garden loudmouth. He had no idea what he'd done to earn Zell's hatred, but the short pugilist seemed determined to get him into a fight. "Probably nothin' complimentary. Why can't he just live and let live?"

Selphie laughed. "Most likely because every girl he even looks at you've got a date with by that night? It's either that or he thinks you're the one behind injecting all the cafeteria's hot dogs with hot sauce."

"Wait, I only did that because you said it'd be fun. And yeah, you were right. But you did half of 'em and he don't hate you."

"I'm not the sort you suspect of pranks. And I'm not his main competition in the field of romance."

"Competition?" Irvine snorted. "That sawed off hyperactive loudmouth couldn't get a date if he combed his hair and got that tattoo taken off his face. What is that, anyway, a chocobo?"

"Something like that I guess. He's not all that bad, Irvy. Not that I'd go out with him." Selphie drew her knee up to her chest. "I just have very high standards. I don't think there's a boy here that can match them."

Irvine grinned and leaned over to rest his chin on her shoulder. "Well, cutie, how about a man? You know I'd treat you like the lady you are."

Selphie rolled her eyes and placed her hand on Irvine's face, pushing him off. "One, you're more a boy than the junior classmen in spite of being 17, and two, you're my best friend. If we went on a date, it would never be the same, and I like it the way it is." She broke into laughter again at Irvine's mock heartbroken expression. "Besides, I know who you really really like anyway, and it's not me."

Irvine bit his lip. Was it that obvious? He flirted with every girl who didn't have a ring on her finger and a few of them that did. "You know you're the girl I care about more than anyone, Sefie, even if we're just friends."

"More than Quisty?" Selphie nodded as Irvine looked away quickly. "That's what I thought. You're head over heels. Another Trepie is born."

"I'm not one of them puppy dogs. I don't need to be in anyone's fan club. Besides, she blows them guys off anyway."

"Ah ha! You're working up the nerve to ask her out, and you've been doing your homework to find out what she likes. I've never seen you put this much effort into anything. Now the question is, can Irvy Kinniepoo handle the pressure?"

"What pressure? I just go up and ask her if she'd like to go to the movies and go dancin' under the stars afterwards, she says yes, and I sweep her off her feet."

Selphie reached over and grabbed his chin, looking into his eyes closely. "Have you been getting enough sleep, Irvy? Because you're dreaming while you're awake now. She's given you the cold shoulder every time you've tried to pull one of your lines on her for the past three months. She's not as easily swept as the dustbunnies you usually go for, you know."

Irvine scratched his head. "Yeah, I know. I don't get it. What do I gotta do to impress her? I've fought by her side, went all the way through time with her, I've put all my best moves on her, I've even bought her stuffed toys and candy and sent flowers to her room. She still puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head at me like a schoolmarm and tells me to grow up and behave."

"Bingo on that last thought. Have you tried either of them?"

"Either of what?"

Selphie sighed and threw her hands up in the air. "Growing up and behaving! Irvy! The way you act it sure looks like all you want is to get her in bed, and Quisty isn't that kind of woman!"

Irvine tried to look shocked at the very idea, but Selphie knew him better than anyone. "That's not what I'm after!" Selphie raised a brow. "Okay, okay, I admit it, I have thought about what it'd be like to hold her in my arms under the sheets and whisper things in her ear. But that's not everything. I'd be happy just holdin' her hand in the moonlight."

"And you'd be looking over her shoulder for the next girl while you were holding it."

"Sefie, you're stabbin' me right in the heart. Haven't you ever heard of true love?"

"I have. I just haven't seen anyone use it as liberally as you do. You're in love with every girl who walks by you."

"This is different. Honest."

Selphie crossed her arms. "You don't expect a tiger to change his stripes, you don't expect a hot dog to bark, and you don't expect Irvine Kinneas to give up skirt chasing. As much as I adore you, Irvy, you're just not a commitment type of guy."

"You just hold that thought. I'll prove to you that I'm capable of settlin' on one girl when she's Miss Right."

"Well, there she is. Why don't you just go ask her now?"

Irvine spun and looked at the entrance to the quad. Quistis was striding down the steps, that serene and emmaculate smile on her face as she looked to the rose garden. "N-now? B-but..."

Selphie gave him a push off the bench. "Now! And give me that magazine before she sees it."

Irvine handed over the magazine quickly and fumbled to straighten his hat, only to discover it wasn't on his head. He panicked without his customary prop until Selphie dropped it on him and straightened it with maternal care. Scrambling to his feet, he took a deep breath and swallowed, then headed for the roses, trying to come up with the perfect way to ask the beautiful blond SeeD out. So intent was he on forming the right words that he ran right into the object of his affections, knocking her off her feet.

Quistis grabbed his arm to keep from falling, then straightened herself up and brushed a crinkle from her skirt with one slender cream-colored hand. "Irvine Kinneas! Do you have to go charging around here like a blind bull? If there's a girl on the other side of me you'd like to do your little rooster strut for, you can at least watch where you're going."

Irvine opened and closed his mouth a few times. He could feel Selphie's eyes on him. There was no turning back now. "S-sorry, Quisty. I j-just wanted to know if y-you'd m-maybe..." He sighed. Why did his stutter always come out whenever anything that actually mattered was at stake?

Quistis waved her hand encouragingly. "If I'd maybe..."

Irvine swallowed and closed his eyes. Just get it over with. Just pretend it's only another recital in front of your mirror. "I-wanted-to-know-if-you'd-go-to-the-movies-with-me-tonight."

Quistis didn't answer. Irvine opened one eye hesitantly to see her leaning over slightly, her hand clamped over her mouth, shoulders shaking with supressed laughter. He pulled his hat down over his face, his cheeks getting hot.

Quistis finally could hold it back no longer, putting her hand on his shoulder for support as she laughed outright. "Oh, Irvine, I'm sorry for laughing. I really shouldn't. But honestly, couldn't you think of a new way to try getting your arms around me without knocking me over?"

"That was an accident," mumbled Irvine into the hat.

Quistis pulled the hat up to put it back in its proper place. "Irvine, are you.. blushing?!"

"N-no. Yes. Nevermind, I didn't mean to bump you. Enjoy your roses." Irvine turned, his eyes on the ground.

"I'll meet you in the library at 1930 hours."

Irvine froze in his tracks, then looked over his shoulder at Quistis. "L-library? 1930?"

Quistis smiled, crossing her arms, the picture of control as compared to Irvine's complete appearance of confusion. "That odd little room where they have those book things on the shelves? And that's 7:30 in civilian time. The movie starts at 8 o'clock."

Irvine stared dumbly. "You mean you'll go with me?"

"Why not?" Quistis shrugged. "I'm not doing anything else tonight. But, Irvine, one hand or any other part of your body strays onto any part of my body and I'll take it off and put it on my trophy wall along with all the other octopus appendages I've collected."

Irvine blinked. That was a joke, right? Yeah, she was smiling. But he wasn't going to push it. He nodded. "Library, 7:30, no touching."

Quistis patted his shoulder. "Take a cold shower right before. It might help you make it through the evening without having to go to the infirmary." She turned and strode to the roses, leaving Irvine wondering if he was out in space again. His feet didn't seem to be touching the ground.

Irvine managed to keep his pace to a cool stroll rather than an exhuberant run as he headed back to Selphie's side. Selphie threw her arms around him. "Go, Irvy! You did it!"

"You doubted Irvine Kinneas?" Irvine winced a bit as Selphie punched him in the arm, right on one of his still-healing bruises from his latest beating at the hands of his good friend Squall's girlfriend, Rinoa. "Ow, watchit. You girls're gonna leave me all black and blue."

Selphie giggled an apology and grabbed Irvine's elbow, yanking him toward the exit. "C'mon. We're going into the city and shopping."

"Shopping? I don't have money. I spent it all on flowers and stuff for Quisty."

Selphie sighed. "My treat, again. If you think I'm letting you go out on a date with my good friend looking like that you've got another think coming."

"What's wrong with the way I look?" Irvine glanced down at his chaps, black jeans, vest, and long-rider coat.

Selphie stopped to raise her brow at him, hand on her hip. "You're going out with a classy lady, not rustling cattle. Now, no more arguing, I'm taking over the wardrobe department."

Irvine knew better than to try and stop Selphie once she made up her mind on something. With one last look back at Quistis, he let his energetic friend lead him off for his makeover.

* * *

Four hours later, Irvine stumbled after Selphie back into the Garden, arms laden with boxes. Selphie was still going strong, bouncing along ahead of him and prattling excitedly about the new outfits she couldn't resist buying for herself while shopping for Irvine. "Yeah, Sefie, I know. I'm carryin' all hundred pounds of 'em, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, you are. You want me to carry them?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Just can't see where I'm goin'."

Selphie laughed and gave him a hug from the side. "It's all going to be worth it, you'll see. Quisty'll be impressed. Oh, wait, I need to check something on the BBS. Wait here for me?" Selphie ducked into the classroom, leaving Irvine in the hall with his load.

Irvine sighed and leaned back against the wall. "Yeah, it'll all be worth it. It's gotta be worth it. Tonight's the night, Irvine Kinneas, the night you can't screw up if you ever wanna be happy again."

"BOOYA!" was all the warning Irvine got as a gloved fist came out of nowhere and caught him in the side of the head. The boxes fell and scattered as Irvine sprawled on the floor, Zell scowling down at him.

"What'd I do?" Irvine backed up a bit, rubbing his head and hoping he wasn't going to be beaten to a pulp on his night of destiny.

Zell crossed his arms. "You know a girl named Deina? She's what you did, or rather who!"

Irvine searched his memory quickly. Deina.. Deina.. oh yeah. "The one with the pigtails? We were just hangin' out together, Zell."

"Right, sure, just hanging out. So why'd she tell me I didn't stand a chance, her heart already belongs to Irvine Kinneas?" Zell made a mockery of Irvine's name with his sneering imitation of feminine affection.

"Maybe 'cause you don't stand a chance? I never told her we were a steady thing, Zell, we were just havin' some fun."

"WHATDOYOUMEANIDON'TSTANDACHANCE?! Take it back, Irvine, or I'm gonna knock you again!"

Irvine held his hands up defensively. "I take it back! You're Adonis, Hercules, and Zeus all rolled up in one. She's just playin' hard to get and she'd never pick me over you, okay?"

Zell paused, fist pulled back. "Hard to get, huh? Hey, yeah, that's it! I can get past that hurdle. I'll just go have some hot dogs and plan my approach." He dropped a final glare at Irvine. "Don't even THINK about sabotaging the hot dogs this time, or I won't go easy on you!" With a nod of satisfaction he turned and swaggered down the hall to the elevator.

Irvine let out a breath of relief. In the eyes of Zell he was a coward who never even bothered to defend himself, but Irvine just lacked the type of fire that could make him settle things with his fists. Not to mention he wasn't all that interested in getting put up in an infirmary bed, which is what would happen if he tried. In spite of being more than half a foot taller than Zell, he was the same weight, built lanky and slender rather than stocky and muscular like the tempestuous master of fisticuffs. He started gathering the boxes again, feeling lucky he got off with just a cuff to the temple.

"What was that all about?" Irvine looked up to see Squall Leonhart standing a few feet away. The commander of the Garden pushed his bangs out of his eyes and awaited an answer.

"Nothin' really. Just Zell workin' off some steam."

Squall crouched down and helped Irvine with the boxes. "Fighting over girls again?" Squall shook his head with a wry grin. "Are you two ever going to grow up?"

"Think he'll let me live long enough? Thanks." Irvine got the last of his boxes adjusted and leaned against the wall again.

"I can't do anything about Zell. He's gonna be loud and defensive no matter what I say to him. But you'd be a lot less likely to get in trouble with him if you'd think about something other than girls once in a while, Irv."

"I do. I think about women, too."

Squall chuckled and shook his head again. "You're a sick man, Irv."

Irvine grinned. "Hey, don't worry 'bout it. If things go right tonight, I'm gonna be givin' up bein' a ladies' man."

Squall smacked his hand to his forehead in shock. "Did I hear that right? What could ever make you give up being the heartbreaker of all time?"

Irvine looked around, then chewed his lip a bit. He'd always been able to trust Squall. "Promise you'll keep it under your hat?"

"I don't wear a hat, but if it's a secret, it's between you and me."

Irvine nodded. "I've got a date for the movies tonight with Quisty."

"WHAT?!" Squall dropped his voice at Irvine's worried glance around. "You? Quisty? Date? Alright, Irv, what'd you put in her drink?"

"I just asked her out and she said yes, that's all. You think she's too good for me, don't ya."

"I didn't say that. She's too good for the way you usually go through girlfriends. What's the longest time you've ever held down a relationship?"

"Six hours and forty-three minutes. But this time it's different, Squall. You gotta believe me."

Squall looked dubious, but let it drop. "So, what's in the boxes?"

"The New Irvine Kinneas, version 2.0." Selphie bounced over and squeezed a hug onto Squall around his stack of boxes. "That and a couple of little things for me."

"A couple? Sefie, you bought every outfit they had in yellow." Irvine shifted his stack a bit.

"So? I like yellow. Besides, I was the one buying." Selphie made up for Irvine's tribulations with being the designated package carrier with a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, Squall, can you do me a really really big favor?"

Squall looked at Selphie warily. "I'm not letting you take over the bridge again."

Selphie rolled her eyes. "Not that. I've got the Ragnarok if I wanna go flying anyway. I was wondering if you could help Irvy get ready for his date. You know, be his male support, his backup, his shoulder of understanding?"

Squall furrowed his brow. "Guys don't do that. Besides, he's been on more dates than I have."

Selphie tickled Squall under the chin. "But you know what to do on a date where you don't touch. Please? Pretty please?"

Squall uttered a quiet "Ack!" and pulled back a bit. "Why you gotta do that when my arms are full? If I say no, you're just gonna keep bugging me, am I right?"

Selphie smiled innocently and folded her hands in front of her, turning a bit on her toes. "Would I do that?"

"Yes." Squall and Irvine answered at the same time.

Selphie laughed. "Then what are you going to do?"

Squall dropped his head in defeat. "Fine," he muttered. "Just don't tell me you want me to do his hair."

"Nope!" Selphie winked. "Rinoa's going to drop by his room in a couple of hours and take care of that. Now if you two boys will excuse me, I have some decorating to do."

Irvine groaned as Selphie bounced off again. "She's too much. There's no stoppin' her, either, is there."

Squall sighed and turned to head to the elevator. "Now you know what it felt like when you guys did it to me."

Irvine hurried to catch up to him. "Are you sayin' you didn't like the outcome? After all I went through to get you and Rinoa together?"

Squall laughed softly. "I didn't say that. I owe you. And that's why I'm not gonna mix up whichever box is holding your new clothes and the ones with Selphie's."

* * *

Irvine studied his new look in the mirror and sighed. "Ties feel like leashes."

"That's probably why girls like them." Squall kicked back on Irvine's bed and tried to find a magazine that didn't involve girls in skimpy bikinis. "Don't you read anything that broadens your mind? Nevermind, I don't need to have that answered."

"You sure it's tied right? Feel like I'm gonna choke. At least I talked her out of the yellow one with the smiley faces." Irvine adjusted the narrow purple tie again and smoothed it against the black silk dress shirt, then had to retuck the shirt into the dark grey silk slacks. He looked the outfit over again and frowned. He looked like a kid wearing his father's clothes, providing his father was a banker. He grabbed his hat and put it on. "Much better."

"You look like a cattle banker. Lose the hat."

"I can't go out without my hat!"

"Suit yourself. But Rinoa's probably gonna hide it before she lets you go."

Irvine gripped his hat with one hand on top of his head. "It's my hat, Squall."

"What's the big deal? You act like a kid with his blankie over that thing."

"This hat's been with me through thick and thin. If you had a good hat you'd understand."

"Get a dog, Irv. Lose the hat."

Irvine pouted as Squall's girlfriend Rinoa Heartilly poked her head in. She offered one of her cheerful smiles, eyes crinkling in amusement. "Is everyone decent?"

Squall glanced up from the cleanest magazine he could find in Irvine's room. "We're dressed, if that's what you mean. Irv's having hat issues."

Rinoa walked in, carrying a basket with combs, scissors, and a spray bottle. "You can go just one night without it, Irvy. For Quisty."

Irvine sighed and took the hat off, then noticed the contents of the basket with alarm. "You're not gonna cut my hair, are ya?!"

"Oh, relax, silly. Just a teensy weensy trim. I promise. You won't even notice it's been cut except it won't look all ratty at the bottom." Rinoa patted the back of the chair. "Have a seat. I can't reach all the way up there. No, not you, Angelo. Shoo." She waved her hand at her faithful pet dog who had made an attempt at commandeering her work station for a nap. Angelo hopped down and jumped up onto the bed next to Squall, licking his face.

Irvine sat down slowly, a look of extreme anxiety on his face. "You promised now. I won't notice."

Rinoa whipped a towel around Irvine's shoulders to protect his shirt. "You want to look your best for Quisty, don't you? Then stop being so difficult."

"She'll just punch you if you move, Irv." Squall snickered and rolled up the magazine to play tug of war with Angelo.

"Hey, not funny. She's never hit you, you don't know what kind of a bruise she can leave."

Rinoa pulled out the rubber band that held Irvine's long hair back in a ponytail. "Just hold still. I won't hurt you. You look quite grown up, by the way, in those clothes."

"Okay, I give, Irv. You're getting it worse than I did. At least you never made me wear a tie."

"I feel like I've been turned over as a pawn in a game of dress-up. This ain't me." Irvine settled into a very still pout until Rinoa's comb met with a tangle. "Ow! Go easy!"

"Hold still!" Rinoa flicked him on the top of the head with the comb. "You're such a tenderhead."

Irvine sighed and did his best to hold still while she combed his hair straight and started cutting the ends off. "How much is she takin' off, Squall?"

"Oh, it's about as long as mine now." Squall laughed as Irvine spun around to see how much hair was on the floor and Rinoa whacked him with the comb again. "Just kidding you."

Irvine relaxed upon seeing less than an inch of hair trimmings. "Don't do that."

"If you keep moving around like that I'm going to cut it short by accident. Now, has Squall given you the talk on no-contact dates?"

"What's he got to tell me? I don't touch her."

Rinoa sighed. "Men. You'd be lost without us to guide you. There's contact and there's contact."

Irvine exchanged a glance with Squall, then both of them looked at Rinoa. "Huh?"

Rinoa looked to the ceiling and shook her head. "It's okay to be a gentleman, just not a groper. Offer your arm to her, but don't put your arm around her. Lend her your hand going down stairs, but don't pat her butt. Understand now?" She selected a black braided leather thong and started redoing Irvine's ponytail, catching the sides that usually hung haphazardly on his cheeks and smoothing them back into it.

"I'm always a gentleman. But I get the drift."

Rinoa smiled and patted him on the shoulder, then carefully took the towel off and dusted his shirt clean. "There. You look like you're actually put together for once. Let me redo that tie, though."

Irvine tilted his chin up and let her work on it. "Not too tight. Damn thing feels like a noose already."

Rinoa snugged it up and rebuttoned his collar, then started hunting through his bottles of cologne. "This one's no good. Ugh, this one always reminded me of a sweaty racquetball player. This one works!" She turned and dabbed a bit on Irvine's jaw. "Perfect. You're handsome instead of just cute. Sophisicated even."

Irvine rubbed his jaw. "I think I'm allergic. I don't use that one because of that."

Rinoa looked at the bottle, then at Irvine's face. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Because it wouldn't have stopped you?"

Rinoa sighed. "Squall, get a washrag. Maybe we can get the rest of it off."

Squall snickered and stepped into the bathroom, getting a wet washrag and tossing it to Rinoa, who started scrubbing Irvine's face. "Oh no. He's got a rash. Oh, well, I can fix that." Rinoa started rummaging through the bottom of the basket and came up with a compact.

Irvine dove out of the chair. "You're gonna put makeup on me?!"

"Nobody's going to be able to tell. It'll cover the rash. Now, sit!" Rinoa pointed at the chair imperiously. Irvine whimpered slightly but obeyed, closing his eyes. Squall buried his face in a pillow to keep from laughing while Rinoa sponged and smoothed. "There. Nobody would be able to tell unless they were looking right at it under really good light."

Irvine cracked one eye open and peeked at the mirror. "If Zell finds out about this, I'm dead, y'know."

"Zell's not going to find out. Look, movie stars wear makeup all the time, so you can stop worrying about your cool image. If Laguna had to do it, I think you can handle it for one night."

Irvine threw a rolled up pair of socks at the back of Squall's head as snickers leaked through the pillow stuffing. "Stop laughin'."

Selphie traipsed into Irvine's room with a single red rose. "How's the patient, Doctor Rinoa?"

"All we have to do is pick out a cologne that he's not allergic to and we're all set. How about this one, Irvy?" Rinoa held up another bottle that showed signs of use. Irvine nodded sullenly and allowed her to dab some on his neck below the makeup.

Selphie eyed Irvine critically and then smiled. "Don't you look dashing. Here, this is for you to give to her."

Irvine looked at the rose she handed him. "Just one? I'll look cheap."

"Less is more," intoned Rinoa and Selphie in unison. Irvine sighed, giving in rather than arguing with two girls about what girls liked. He got to his feet and looked at his hat longingly, but the warning was clear in three sets of eyes. He nibbled his lip and stepped to the door.

"Well, this is it. Wish me luck."

"Luck!" chirped Selphie as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Is that makeup?"

"I'll explain later," Rinoa said quickly. "Good luck, Irvy!"

"Whatever." Squall smiled, taking Rinoa's hand. "Hope things work out, Irv."

* * *

Irvine paced the hall in front of the library, practicing greetings. "Heya, cutie. Ready for the best night of your life? No, that's not gonna work. Say, Quisty, do you feel fate tuggin' at your sleeve? I think you and me, we're destiny. Yeah, right, that's out. Quistis, my beautiful Lady Quistis, what I'd give to be your knight in shinin' armor." Irvine smacked his hand to his forehead. "Irvine Kinneas, you tryin' to make her like you or laugh at you?"

"You're on time.. early even. I'm impressed." Irvine spun around to see Quistis standing behind him, dressed casually in a peach colored blouse and a pair of jeans. "That is you, isn't it, Irvine? Hard to tell without your hat and chaps."

"Quisty! You showed up!" Irvine winced at how unimpressive that was as a greeting.

"Why, yes. Isn't that what we agreed upon? Why are you all dressed up? It's a movie. It's going to be dark."

Irvine looked down at his clothes. "I.. well.. you're always wearin' somethin' nice and..."

"And now I look like I grabbed something comfortable and without skin exposure?"

Irvine held out the rose. "You l-look beautiful."

Quistis smiled and accepted the rose. "I think that's a much better line than those other ones you were practicing. Thank you."

Irvine turned crimson. "You heard?"

"As if your lines aren't known by every female in this Garden already. You've recited them often enough. Here's a thought, Irvine. Say what you feel like saying instead of relying on that script you've practiced a thousand times and used as often. It might come out as more genuine."

Irvine looked away. How could he ever find the courage to do that? Nobody would hear his words, just stammering. Didn't she remember how badly he stuttered when they were children? He still did whenever he felt himself under pressure. It was safer to rely on the shallow character he'd learned to play over the years, easier to just recite the lines he'd picked up from movies and practiced over and over until he could say them without thinking. "I did mean it," he said quietly. "You're b-beautiful."

"There, see? It sounded like it was you talking. And I meant it when I said thank you. And you're handsome and you look quite mature and sophisiticated. Selphie picked it out?"

Irvine nodded sheepishly. "She sorta took over."

Quistis smiled. "I figured. I mentioned to her how much I liked black silk shirts a week ago. It's rather sweet that you went along with it. I don't think I've seen you in an actual shirt before, not to mention missing your hat."

Irvine grinned a bit. "It's a special night. Even if it's just a movie." He offered her his arm, his heart pounding as she took it. "We should get goin' if we don't wanna hafta stumble over people in the dark."

Quistis tapped his chest with the rose. "You're leading, Irvine."

"Oh, yeah." Irvine got a slight relapse of blush and started for the quad, following the stream of most of the off-duty SeeDs and students of the Garden. The Friday night movie was one of the central sources of entertainment for the young crowd, following only the Saturday night dance. Somehow he was only mildly surprised to find that there were two seats obtrusively available in that part of the theater that was dark enough during the movies for couples to kiss and snuggle without anyone seeing. He could picture Selphie threatening anyone who even moved toward them to ensure that he and Quistis had the optimal date seating. Well, it wasn't like he didn't have it coming. After all, he and Selphie had been the main instigators in Squall and Rinoa's first date. Unfortuantely, Quistis had also been heavily involved in the plot. He heard her chuckling quietly next to him.

"It would appear Selphie's been at work. I trust you understand this doesn't mean the terms of this date are altered in any way."

Irvine sighed. "I didn't ask her to, honest. She's sorta a force of her own, y'know? And I know. I wouldn't d-dream of doin' anything."

"Uh-huh. You're as predictable as Squall, Irvine, in your own way. I'm sure you've dreamt of everything that will get you laid flat for attempting it in reality."

"That's why I won't attempt it. You're with a perfect gentleman tonight, Quisty."

"Oh? I hope I get to meet him at some point. But don't worry, I won't dump you for him until after the movie." Quistis grinned and made her way to one of the two waiting seats. Irvine sighed a bit and followed her, taking the other seat and being mindful of the no-contact rule.

"Um, there's still a couple of minutes. You w-want some popcorn or soda? Jujubees?"

"Popcorn, no butter, and a diet lemon-lime. Selphie did give you spending money, didn't she?" Irvine dropped his face in his hands. Quistis shook her head with a grin and handed him a ten-gil note. "It's on me."

Irvine slipped the money into his palm. "I'm real sorry. I don't g-get a salary like you all do. I promise I'll pay you back."

"Don't worry about it. Just go before you get caught in the line and have to stumble back in the dark and sit in my lap by accident."

"Right." Irvine crept out of his seat and headed back toward the concession stand, feeling like he should grow a tail so he could tuck it between his legs. He got in the line and was soon trapped in the velvet-roped path. At least it was moving quickly.

The sound of a resounding slap caught his attention and he looked around. Deina was storming angrily away from Zell, who was holding his cheek and looking thoroughly astonished. Just what he needed. Deina spotted him and paused in her angered exit to wave. "Hi, Irvy!"

Irvine waved back slightly and tried to avoid eye contact with Zell. Isn't that how one keeps an enraged animal from charging? It failed this time. Zell turned red as he noted the exchange and decided to take his frustrations out on the swinging cowboy, stomping over and grabbing Irvine by the collar. "I told you to stay away from her!"

"Uh.. well, actually, I don't think you did, Zell. I was just wavin' back."

"If I didn't, I meant to, so why are you starting something, huh?" Zell seemed oblivious to the group of onlookers that were gathering around them.

"I'm not startin' anything, Zell, I'm just tryna get some popcorn and soda. D-do you want a hot dog?" Irvine held up the ten-gil note placatingly.

"A hot dog?" Zell considered and let go of Irvine's collar. "Everything on it."

"Right. Everything." Irvine hurried forward to the waiting concessions clerk and ordered the butterless popcorn, lemon-lime, and one hot dog with everything. He held the hot dog out to Zell the way one might hold a steak out to a ferocious dog and bolted back toward the seats as soon as Zell was busy consuming it. He dropped down in his seat and handed Quistis her change.

"Whoa, popcorn's gone up in price."

Irvine seriously missed his hat. He couldn't even hide behind his hair with it all pulled back neatly like that. "Um, Zell w-wanted a hot dog."

"You bribed him out of punching you, you mean, right? You know, if you just told him to get lost he'd back down. He's more talk than show. As a matter of fact, I think the only reason he picks on you so much is that you never stand up to him."

"I'm a lover, not a fighter."

"Another movie line?" Quistis took her soda and sipped it. "It's not diet."

Irvine closed his eyes and dropped his head. "Sorry. You want me to go back?"

"Nevermind. I can deal. Besides, the movie's starting."

Irvine looked to the screen as the lights went down and tried to figure out what to do with his right arm if he couldn't put it around her shoulders. He eventually wedged it between the armrest and his body to keep it from temptation. The sounds of those couples around him who had no idea what movie was even playing only made it harder to concentrate. And it was a romantic Western. His absolute best backdrop for winning the girl, and Quistis was as interested in cuddling as she would be if it were Selphie she was sitting next to instead of him.

He sighed and sank lower in his seat, trying to ignore the steady thumping on the back of his seat as the girl behind him swung her crossed leg. She'd seemed vaguely familiar, but he hadn't looked closely at all the faces around him before the theater darkened. He occupied his mind for a bit trying to place her face. It came to him rather suddenly as he felt a cold drink poured down his back from behind. Lana Harper. It had been a four-hour relationship by his reckoning, but she seemed to think it was still ongoing and objected to his being with other girls. He did his best not to react, but it was a full drink. Jumbo. And she'd probably been saving it for the moment he started making out with his date, but since that didn't happen, she unleashed it just at the final credits. He wondered how well black and dark grey silk hid wet stains.

As the lights came up he tried desperately to think of any excuse to stay in his seat. At first he just sat there, but as the theater emptied Quistis looked around with a raised brow. "Is there a double feature I didn't know about?"

"Um.. well.. I just l-like sittin' in theaters, y'know."

"... Irvine, are you just extrordinarily strange or is there another reason you don't want to go?"

Irvine dropped his face in his hand again. This night could just not get any worse. He may as well get it over with. "N-no. I'll walk you back to your room." He started to get up and only then realized his arm had fallen asleep in the awkward position he'd had it wedged in. As he stood it sent a sharp zap of pain up his shoulder, resulting in a wince as he grabbed it and tried to support it.

"Irvine?! Are you alright?" Quistis was on her feet in a moment, putting her hand on his back to support him and drawing it back in surprise quickly. "You're soaked."

"Yeah. Ex-girlfriend revenge. If you wanna g-go back to your room on your own I'll u-understand."

"Ex-girlfriend. Well, that narrows down the range of suspects to about half the Garden's female population. Come on, I'll walk you to your room instead. You'll catch cold if you don't get out of those wet things." Quistis took his hand when he just stood there, head bowed in utter humiliation. "Just come with me, okay?"

Irvine nodded and let her lead him out of the quad and towards the dormitories. The handholding seemed a mockery now. He'd blown the one date that could have changed his life forever. There was no way he'd ever get a second chance. He didn't say a word and wasn't aware if she said anything to him until they reached his door. Quistis let go of his hand to tilt his chin up to where she could see his eyes. "It was.. an interesting evening, Irvine. And it's a shame about your new clothes. They would have looked great at the dance tomorrow night. Looks like you'll have to borrow something from Nida. But definately wear that tie. It'll match my new dress perfectly."

Irvine looked at her quizzically. "Match? Why would it matter if it matched?"

Quistis grinned. "I just think couples look nice dancing together when they're color-coordinated. Pick me up at the library again, 1830."

Irvine couldn't do anything but nod, his head spinning. She was letting him take her out again? Dancing? He must be dreaming. He almost didn't feel the soft kiss on his cheek as Quistis turned and vanished down the hall. Five minutes later a "Ya-HOO!" was heard from his room.


End file.
